Paulo Roberto Corradi Nagamura, also known as Paulo Nagamura, is a retired Paulistanos soccer player and coach. Energetic and disciplined, the former Brazilian athlete has been on the scene since 2001.
In recent times, Nagamura was involved as a coach with the MLS club Houston Dynamo FC, and everybody could see his excellence until he was fired for some suspicious reason. His rise has inspired many, and today we will dive in-depth into what made Paulo Nagamura an expert in the MLS field.
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Grew Up Alongside His Sister
The former Dynamo head coach was born on March 2, 1983, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lovingly called Paulinho, Paulo Nagamura's parents are Jorge Nagamura and Celia Nagamura. Both are very supportive of his career, with his father often sharing his accomplishments on social media.
The former soccer player also has a sister named Renata Nagamura. He must share a strong bond with his sibling. Talking about his education, he must have completed his formal studies in his hometown. Paulo also had his career beginning in the Sao Paulo club.
Popular Leagues Drove Him Toward Fame
The Sao Paulo player participated in the North American SuperLiga two times, the CONCACAF Champions League twice, and the Open Cup once throughout the 2008 campaign with Chivas USA. This participation made him a recognizable figure in the area of soccer.
In playoffs action in 2009, Nagamura made 27 appearances and contributed with two assists in addition to scoring four goals. He later joined Sporting Kansas City and made his winning goal in the 2013 MLS Cup. His energetic play helped SKC win over Real Salt Lake 7-6 on penalties and win the championship for the 1st time since 2000.
Another one of his remarkable playing accomplishments was when Paulo helped SKC defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2015. He scored goals in the 87th and 94th minutes and led the club to a 4-3 victory.
Following the event, he was awarded MLS Player of the Week. Paulo made himself a hot topic at those times.
Paulo Nagamura Net Worth And Career
The fame didn't come as quickly; instead, Paulo Nagamura's career has been filled with struggles. Firstly, Nagamura was traded to the English club Arsenal in 2001, where he remained throughout 2004, assisting the club in winning the English U-19 tournament and scoring in the grand finals vs. Liverpool. Unfortunately, his earnings were pretty low at this stage.
After that, the sportsman signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy; he played the entire 90 minutes in the club's 3-0 defeat to the Columbus Crew on his debut match on April 2, 2005. Later, the Brazilian player assisted the Galaxy in winning the 2005 U.S. Open Cup.
Afterward, Toronto F.C. picked Paulo in the 2006 MLS Expansion Draft. However, he was exchanged for a first-round MLS SuperDraft selection and sent to Chivas USA in 2008. This event turned out lucky for the club as it earned a 1-0 victory over Chicago Fire on June 9 of the same year, thanks to Paul's winning goal.
The soccer athlete was traded to Sports Kansas City in 2011 and competed for them till his retirement. Now, let's take a look at Paulo Nagamura's salary from Sporting KC in the table below:
Year | Salary |
2012 | $250,000 |
2013 | $265,000 |
2014 | $220,000 |
2015 | $230,000 |
2016 | $225,000 |
Table Source: Spotrac
After resigning from his playing career, the 5' 8" sportsperson became Swope Park Rangers' assistant coach in 2016. He was promoted to the head coaching position a year later. Eventually, he moved to join Houston Dynamo FC in January 2022.
In September 2022, Nagamura was fired from his responsibility as a head coach, and the reasons are still unknown. Rumors have it, that it wasn't due to a field issue but somewhat off-field. We might have to wait around for the truth to surface.
Since his earnings from his coaching career haven't been disclosed yet, the stats regarding Paulo Nagamura's net worth is entirely impenetrable at this point. However, even though the numbers are unknown, it won't be wrong to say that this guy got serious money.
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Bad Luck Equals Injuries
Accidents can happen at any time; it is the very nature of accidents. Unfortunately, the former coach was also struck with some injuries throughout his playing career, which might have contributed to his early retirement.
Because of ankle damage, Paulo only competed for two matches over the eighteen games for Kansas City in 2013. It also forced him to skip the preliminary half of the Conference Semifinals. Likewise, injuries to his spine hindered Paulo's performance in the first half of the season in 2015, holding him off for the entire month of June.
After a year, unfortunately, he suffered a calf and a quad strain. This event took place before he resigned from his playing career, so could it have played some part in such a decision of Paulo Nagamura?
Married Guy With Two Children
The 5'8" midfielder with a Hispanic look has sharp eyes that could make girls weak in the knees. Add his impressive coaching and playing resume, he is a career-dedicated person who loves what he does. So, has the retired soccer player also been lucky in the relationship department?
The answer is a huge yes. Paulo is happily married to his spouse, Monique Oliveira Nagamura. She is a gorgeous lady who has avoided the spotlight as much as possible. Nonetheless, fans might be able to interact with her through her social media handles.
Paulo Nagamura's wife, Monique Nagamura, has given birth to two girls. Sadly, much about Paulo's daughters, including their names, education, and other details, haven't been disclosed yet. One thing is for sure though, both little misses have inherited their mom's brown hair.
Paulo Nagamura is married to Monique Nagamura and shares two daughters with her. Photo Source: Monique Nagamura's Facebook.
All in all, the former Houston Dynamo FC head coach has given his best, whether it be playing on the field or guiding athletes behind the scenes. Paulo Nagamura's brief was quite fascinating; we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Good day readers!
Trivia And Facts
- Nagamura was considered a domestic player for the MLS roster because he has a U.S. green card.
- He is of Italian and Japanese ancestry.
- His IG account, with over 1K followers, is private.